Breast pump

ABSTRACT

A breast pump adapted for installation in a standard nursing bottle includes a saliva trap and a combined gasket and suction tube receiving means which nest in the bottle mouth being retained therein by the annular cap when the same is threadedly engaged with the exterior of the bottle.

United States Patent 1 Lunas et a].

BREAST PUMP InventorszFrancis J. Lunas, Sitka, Alaska; Edward E. Burroughs, Portland; Franklin G. Smith, Portland, both of Oreg.

Assignee: Francis J. Lunas, Sitka, Alaska by said Burroughs and said Smith Filed: Jan. 17, 1972 Appl. No.7: 218,208

US. Cl. 128/281 Int. Cl A6lm l/06 Field 0fSearch128/280-282, 300-301, 360

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1890 Graves et a1 128/281 Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-Stephen W. Blore, Kenneth S. Klarquist, Joseph B. Sparkman [57] ABSTRACT A breast pump adapted for installation in a standard nursing bottle includes a saliva trap and a combined gasket and suction tube receiving means which nest in the bottle mouth being retained therein by the annular cap when the same is threadedly engaged with the exterior of the bottle.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BREAST PUMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to breast pumps and, more particularly, to a breast pump which is adapted for installation in a standard nursing bottle.

The advantages of breast feeding infants are becoming more widely accepted by increasing numbers of mothers. Breast fed infants are healthy and happy babies, since the nursing mother is able simultaneously to fulfill both her infants physical and emotional needs. The act of nursing also provides many advantages for the mother, both physical and emotional.

A breast pump is helpful for a nursing mother if she has to leave her infant for any significant length of time. Presently available breast pumps, however, are not entirely satisfactory. The mechanical models used in hospitals are quite expensive. Hand operated models are unsatisfactory inasmuch as the mother is not able to govern the amount of suction pressure applied.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a breast pump whereby the mother herself can regulate the amount of suction pressure applied.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a breast pump whereby the suction pressure is provided by the mother by sucking on a tube.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a breast pump that is adapted for installation in a standard nursing bottle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The breast pump of the present invention includes saliva trapping means disposed in the mouth of a standard nursing bottle. Such means comprise an annular flange adapted to seat on the rim of the bottle mouth and a saliva trap depending from the annular flange.

The trap includes a first wall portion comprising the major portion of a cylinder. A second wall portion comprising a portion of a cylinder is disposed generally tangentially to the first wall portion and defines therewith a saliva retaining well. The latter is provided with a bottom. The second wall portion also defines a flowthrough portion which permits milk to flow through the saliva trap and enter the bottle.

The pump further comprises combined gasket and suctiontube receiving means which are also disposed in the bottle mouth. The latter includes a circular gasket adapted to seat on the annular flange of the saliva trap means, a first suction tube receiving stem disposed on the gasket and depending into the flow-through portion of the saliva trap, and a second suctiontube receiving stem also disposed on the gasket but depending into the saliva retaining well.

Suction cup means are provided for the pump, which means include an inlet comprising a segment of a sphere and having a planar mouth and a cylindrically shaped reservoir. The inlet communicates with the reservoir, but the center of the inlet is offset from the axis of the latter. The plane of the mouth is canted with respect to the reservoir axis for convenience in operation.

A first suction tube communicates with the suction cup means and the respective receiving stem. A second suction tube is received on the second stern and is adapted to. be held in the mothers mouth for the application of the necessary suction pressure.

An annular ring is inserted in one end of the second suction tube to maintain the same open when placed in the mothers mouth. The ring comprises an exteriorly positioned annular rib disposed substantially medially of its ends to prevent tipping of the ring in the tube when in use.

Rib means are disposed on the second suction tube receiving stem. Such rib means are adapted to clear the first wall portion of the saliva trap when the second suction tube receiving stem is inserted into the saliva retaining well. The rib, however, is designed to interfere with the second wall portion of the saliva trap in the event the mother incorrectly assembles the apparatus so as to reverse the relative positions of the first and second suction tube receiving stems with respect to the flow-through portion and the saliva retaining well. By this means, it is impossible to contaminate the milk with saliva inadvertently released through the suction tube.

Finally, the apparatus includes the annular cap provided with the standard nursing bottle which cap serves to clamp the circular gasket of the combined gasket and suction tube receiving means and the annular flange of the saliva trap means into air tight engagement with the rim of the bottle mouth.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an assembly view of the pump of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the bottle mouth.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the apparatus includes a breast shield or suction cup 10 connected by a length of flexible tubing 11 to a first suction tube receiving stem 12 integrally formed with a circular gasket 13 adapted to seat on an annular flange 14 of a depending saliva trap 15. The latter nests in the mouth of a standard nursing bottle 16 and is retained in air tight engagement therewith by the standard annular cap 17 provided with the bottle.

A second suction tube receiving stem 18 is integrally formed with the circular gasket 13, the lower portion of which stem depends into the saliva trap 15. A second length of suction tubing 20 is received on the stem 18,

' one end 21 of which is adapted to be held in the mothers mouth for application of suction pressure as desired.

In operation, the breast shield or suction cup 10 is placed over the mothers nipple to form an air tight seal therewith. The mother places the tubing 20 in her mouth and draws a partial vacuum on the bottle through the gasket 13. Such causes the milk to flow through the cup 10 and into the bottle 16.

The saliva trap 15 and the integrally formed gasket and suction tube receiving stems l2 and 18 which nest in the mouth of the nursing bottle 16 are a feature of this invention.

The saliva trap 15 is preferably molded of silicone rubber DC1125 and includes the annular flange 14 which seats on the rim 22 of the mouth of the bottle 16. A saliva trap 23 depends from the inner edge 24 of the flange. The trap 23 is defined by a first wall portion 25 which comprises the major portion of a cylinder and a second wall portion 26 which also comprises a portion of a cylinder, but which second portion is generally tangential to the first portion as at 27. A bottom 28 is provided to form the saliva retaining well 30.

The second wall portion 26, being open at its bottom, defines a flow-through portion 3i which permits the milk to flow through the trap and enter the bottle.

The combined gasket and suction tube receiving stems are preferably injection molded from polypropylene and comprise the circular gasket 13 which is seated on the annular flange 1d of the saliva trap 15. The first suction tube receiving stem 12 is integrally formed centrally of the gasket 13 and depends into the flowthrough portion 31. The second suction tube receiving stem 18 is also integrally formed centrally of the gasket 13 and depends into the saliva retaining well 30.

The second stem 18 includes a transversely extending rib 33 which clears the first wall portion 25 of the saliva trap when the stem 18 is inserted into the saliva retaining well 30, but interferes with the second wall portion 26 of the saliva trap in the event the relative position of the stems l2 and 18 are reversed with respect to the flow-through portion 31 and the saliva retaining well 30. By this means, the mother cannot assemble the apparatus in a way that would permit the tube to communicate with the bottle 16, thereby to contaminate the milk with saliva.

An annular injection molded polypropylene ring 35 is inserted in the end 21 of the tube 20. The ring 35 maintains the tube in an open condition when suction is applied. The ring 35 comprises an exteriorly positioned annular rib 36 disposed substantially medially of its ends. The rib 36 serves to prevent tipping of the ring in the tube during use. The ring makes it possible for the mother to bite the tube as at 37 to make a valve and hold a vacuum while flow of milk continues.

The breast shield or suction cup 10 is also injection molded of polypropylene and comprises an inlet 40 formed as a segment of a sphere and having a planar mouth 41. The inlet 40 communicates with a cylindrical shaped reservoir 42 which serves to accommodate any temporary excess of milk.

A feature of the design of the suction cup 10 is that the center 43 of the spherical portion 44 of the inlet 40 is offset from the axis 45 of the cylindrical reservoir 42, and the plane of the mouth 41 is canted with respect to such axis. This nonsymmetrical construction is particularly well suited for the purpose designed and makes the operation of the cup convenient for the mother. The cylindrical reservoir 42 is of sufficient length to accommodate the nipple when extended, thereby to keep the milk ducts open and the flow continuing. The standard annular cap 17 routinely available with nursing bottles threadedly engages the exteriorly threaded mouth of the bottle 16 and clamps the circu-, lar gasket 13 of the combined gasket and receivingstern unit and the annular flange 14 of the saliva trap 15 into air tight engagement with the rim 22. By this means, the apparatus is snugly nested and received in the bottle mouth, which further enhances its convenience during use.

We claim: a

l. A breast pump adapted for installation in a nursing bottle, comprising a nursing bottle having an exteriorly threaded bottle mouth;

saliva trap means disposed in said bottle mouth, said saliva trap means comprising an annular flange adapted to seat on the rim of said bottle mouth, and

a saliva trap depending from said annular flange,

said saliva trap comprising a first wall portion comprising the major portion of a cylinder,

a second wall portion comprising a portion of a cylinder, said second wall portion being generally tangential to said first wall portion and defining therewith a saliva retaining well, and

a bottom on said saliva retaining well,

said second wall portion defining a flow-through portion to permit milk to flow through said saliva trap means and to enter said bottle;

combined gasket and suction tube receiving means,

comprising a circular gasket adapted to seat on said annular flange of said saliva trap means,

a first suction tube receiving stem disposed on said gasket and adapted to depend into said flowthrough portion of said saliva trap, and

a second suction tube receiving stem disposed on said gasket and adapted to depend into said saliva retaining well of said saliva trap;

suction cup means adapted to form an air tight seal on the portion of a mothers breast surrounding her nipple;

a first suction tube communicating at one end with said suction cup means, the other end being received on said first suction tube receiving stem;

a second suction tube having one end adapted to be held in the mothers mouth, the other end being received on said second suction tube receiving stem; and

annular cap means threadedly engageable with said exteriorly threaded bottle mouth, said cap means being adapted to clamp said circular gasket of said combined gasket and suction tube receiving means and said annular flange of said saliva trap means into air tight engagement with said rim of said bottle mouth.

2. A breast pump as in claim 1 further comprising rib means disposed on said second suction tube receiving stem and adapted to clear said first wall portion of said saliva trap when said second suction tube receiving stem is inserted into said saliva retaining well, but to interfere with said second wall portion of said saliva trap in the event the relative positions of said first and second suction tube receiving stems with respect to said flow-through portion and said saliva retaining well of said saliva trap are reversed.

3. A breast pump as in claim 1 further comprising an annular ring adapted to be inserted in said one end of said second suction tube to maintain the same open when suction is applied, said ring comprising an exteriorly positioned annular rib disposed substantially medially of its ends, said rib serving to prevent tipping of said ring in said tube.

4. A breast pump as in claim 1 in which said suction cup means comprise an inlet comprising a segment ofa sphere and having a planar mouth; and

a cylindrically shaped reservoir, said inlet communicating with said reservoir, the center of said inlet being offset from the axis of said reservoir, the plane of said planar mouth being canted with respect to said axis of said reservoir. 

1. A breast pump adapted for installation in a nursing bottle, comprising a nursing bottle having an exteriorly threaded bottle mouth; saliva trap means disposed in said bottle mouth, said saliva trap means comprising an annular flange adapted to seat on the rim of said bottle mouth, and a saliva trap depending from said annular flange, said saliva trap comprising a first wall portion comprising the major portion of a cylinder, a second wall portion comprising a portion of a cylinder, said second wall portion being generally tangential to said first wall portion and defining therewith a saliva retaining well, and a bottom on said saliva retaining well, said second wall portion defining a flow-through portion to permit milk to flow through said saliva trap means and to enter said bottle; combined gasket and suction tube receiving means, comprising a circular gasket adapted to seat on said annular flange of said saliva trap means, a first suction tube receiving stem disposed on said gasket and adapted to depend into said flow-through portion of said saliva trap, and a second suction tube receiving stem disposed on said gasket and adapted to depend into said saliva retaining well of said saliva trap; suction cup means adapted to form an air tight seal on the portion of a mother''s breast surrounding her nipple; a first suction tube communicating at one end with said sUction cup means, the other end being received on said first suction tube receiving stem; a second suction tube having one end adapted to be held in the mother''s mouth, the other end being received on said second suction tube receiving stem; and annular cap means threadedly engageable with said exteriorly threaded bottle mouth, said cap means being adapted to clamp said circular gasket of said combined gasket and suction tube receiving means and said annular flange of said saliva trap means into air tight engagement with said rim of said bottle mouth.
 2. A breast pump as in claim 1 further comprising rib means disposed on said second suction tube receiving stem and adapted to clear said first wall portion of said saliva trap when said second suction tube receiving stem is inserted into said saliva retaining well, but to interfere with said second wall portion of said saliva trap in the event the relative positions of said first and second suction tube receiving stems with respect to said flow-through portion and said saliva retaining well of said saliva trap are reversed.
 3. A breast pump as in claim 1 further comprising an annular ring adapted to be inserted in said one end of said second suction tube to maintain the same open when suction is applied, said ring comprising an exteriorly positioned annular rib disposed substantially medially of its ends, said rib serving to prevent tipping of said ring in said tube.
 4. A breast pump as in claim 1 in which said suction cup means comprise an inlet comprising a segment of a sphere and having a planar mouth; and a cylindrically shaped reservoir, said inlet communicating with said reservoir, the center of said inlet being offset from the axis of said reservoir, the plane of said planar mouth being canted with respect to said axis of said reservoir. 